Outcomes

At the end of the project, each action research group was at a different stage in terms of outcomes for their process review.

Action Research Group 1 – Applications Process

To date, this group have achieved the following:

• Mapped the orginal process on paper
• Mapped the process digitally
• Agreed on elements for enhancement
• Invited the Admissions Team Leader to review the proposed enhancements
• Remapped the process digitally following further adjustments.

The process has now been modified and has evolved from being a predominantly manual administrative process to a virtually online process.  This has been made possible by incorporating application and interview details for prospective students in the SITS Student Database and then running a report through Microsoft Reporting Services that sends a weekly email to all those involved in student recruitment to allow them to view current application and recruitment data.  It is then possible for those involoved to enter data, via an online portal, to indicate success of application, and associated information, which is captured and imported into the student database automatically.

Following this change, all those administrators and academics involved with interviewing and processing applications for prospective students have undertaken training.

The following documents were used in the training, to provide a simple explanation of the old and new process.

Course outline

Interviewing/Application Process 2013-14

Activities associated with applications and interviewing

Action Research Group 2 – Mitigating Circumstances Process

 Details of the Mitigating Circumstances Process Review Journey

Action Research Group 3 – Exam Board Process

To date, this group have achieved the following:

• Mapped the orginal process on paper
• Mapped the process digitally
• Agreed on elements for enhancement

The work of this action research group can not be concluded at this time, as their proposals involved potential modifications to the database software used to display and record exam board activities and this was not seen as a business critical area for review at this time.   Another contributing factor that has caused the research to be halted is the changing positions and roles of the identified stakeholders due to restructuring activities.